I exhaled and took his arm, and together we entered the sparkling splendor of the ballroom. Isabelle had certainly outdone herself with the decor. Crystals dripped from the ceiling like hail that had frozen in time—an eye-catching display. But the guests’ attention was on us. I dropped my gaze to the marble tiles. Fortunately, the crown prince was a steady guide. I didn’t have to look up until Lady Huntington and Isabelle approached.
“Welcome, Your Highness! I hope you enjoy yourself tonight,” Lady Huntington said, inclining her head. The large ostrich feather in her updo teetered dangerously.
“Certainly,” the crown prince said.
“Allow me to introduce our guest from yesterday.” Lady Huntington gestured to a gentleman I hadn’t noticed before. He looked about Maddox’s age, with bronze skin, dark hair, and a shadow of stubble along the hard curve of his jaw. The last time I saw him he was scrawnier. “This is Mr. Dominic Turner, son of General Killian Turner. Your Highness is familiar with the general, I’m sure?”
Crown Prince Bennett dipped his head. “An honor to meet you, Mr. Turner. Your father has done a great deal for Olderea.”
“As proud as I am of my father’s accomplishments, you have done a great deal more, Your Highness. The honor is all mine.” Dominic Turner bowed with a flourish. When he straightened, he fixed his brown-eyed gaze on me. “Lady Narcissa Whittington.”
It took everything in me not to flinch at the name. “It’s Greenwood now, Mr. Turner.”
“Ah, apologies. But by all means, call me Dominic,” he said, flashing a grin. “I always thought Mr. Turner sounded senile.”
Isabelle giggled, fluttering a lace fan under her nose. “Don’t be silly, Dominic. It’s only proper for everyone to address you so.”
“How can I ever be proper with you around, Izzy?”
This garnered a blush from Isabelle, who hid behind her fan.
Dominic returned his attention to me and the crown prince. “Forgive me, I do love joking with old friends. Rules of society seem to be lax these days anyhow, with thenewcomers.”
I frowned when he threw me a wink. If the general shared his son’s opinions, he didn’t show it. But there was no doubt Dominic Turner disliked witchkind. It seemed that he had grown into a shameless flirt too, which wasn’t surprising. He had been rather vain in his youth. But whatever hid beneath his charms was more cause for concern.
The string quartet began playing a light air. Isabelle perked up at the music and looked over at Dominic. Had her feelings changed so quickly in the span of a day? Only this morning she had sent a snake to my room.
“Your Highness, would you mind if I steal Lady Narcissa for the first dance?” Dominic asked. Isabelle deflated.
Crown Prince Bennett lowered his arm. “If she has no objections.”
My fingers tightened around his wrist. What was he saying? It was customary for engaged couples to have the first dance with each other.
The crown prince gave me a questioning look. Horsefeathers. He expected me to accept. Ulyssesdidsay I was supposed to make a good impression on all the guests above all else.
I released his wrist, albeit reluctantly. His skin was comfortingly warm through my gloves, unlike my clammy fingers. The exchange went mostly unnoticed thanks to the volume of my skirts.
“Not at all.” I accepted Dominic’s hand.
Lady Huntington said something about refreshments and led a pouting Isabelle away. The crown prince stood alone for a moment before he was bombarded with guests. I was forced to give my full attention to Dominic, who had led me to the dance floor and taken the liberty of holding me closer than needed.
“It has been too long, Narcissa,” Dominic murmured. He was a rather inflexible dancer, jerking me through the steps. “You have grown more beautiful than I could have imagined.”
I narrowed my eyes at his familiarity. “LadyNarcissa, Mr. Turner. I do not believe we are friends.”
He grinned. “No. We were something more at one point. Do you remember the strolls we used to take around my father’s estate?” he asked lightly. “You always preferred that spot near the hedges, though I didn't have your sensibility to see any beauty in it.”
I doubt he remembered the flourishing daffodils lining the path when he tried to steal a kiss from me behind those hedges. Nor the stinging slap I had given him afterward, it seemed.
“That is in the past,” I said stiffly.
“So it is.” He gave me an assessing stare. “I must admit, Lady Narcissa, the events of the last Season intrigue me greatly. I would have never expected you to be one ofthem.”
A witch, he meant. I looked past his shoulder so I wouldn’t have to meet his prying gaze. “I do not want to speak about that, Mr. Turner. It brings back painful memories.”
Brutal honesty did not seem to work on him as it did on Isabelle.
“Of course. But you are not like those others. You’re refined. Elegant,” Dominic said. The last word sounded like a caress.
